Lead Your People

You do no lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case. - Ken Kesey

Leading is about more than simply giving orders.

It is more than just telling people what to do and when. People do not just want someone to tell them what to do, how to do it, or when. That is the job of a boss. Leaders, on the other hand let people know how and why. They tell or show people why something should be done. Leaders get people to willingly follow.

• When was the last time that someone gave you directions?
• When was the last time you were expected to do something without question?
  • How did you feel about that. You might not have liked it. You might not have agreed with it. You probably had to do it anyway if it was job related.
• Wouldn’t you have preferred for the person giving the orders to ask you to follow or explain the reasoning?

This is because giving blind orders is akin to what we do to dogs. We do not tell them why or ask them. We simply tell them what to do and expect them to follow. When we have friends, on the other hand, we explain why we want them to do something. We ask. We give reasons. It says to the followers that they are respected and that they are human beings. It tells the followers that they matter.

Leading is about giving people your passion.

It is about giving them your goals and your passion. Once they have this, they become willing to go to the ends of the earth for you. They make an active choice in your cause. In the end, they have to be the ones who choose.

The desire to be independent and make decisions is something that everyone wants from a young age.

• Small children do not want to be told what to wear. They want to be given a choice. They want to know why.
• Adults are the same. Instead of telling them what to do, make your case. Talk to them and give them a choice.

People will follow you when they have a choice. They will take up your cause when you let them know that you have reasons for your choice.

Leading is not easy.

In fact, sometimes it takes a good deal of thought and effort to make your case. But you need to be able to be clear about your cause so that people know what you are about.

You need to be able to explain yourself clearly and concisely. People do not want to blindly follow anyone. They do not want to just believe everything that they hear. For this reason, you need to take some time to formulate your thoughts and write them down.

Take some time to put your thoughts together so that you can present your case to your followers. Give them a reason to follow and they will.

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